First Century

My wife and I did our first (self-organized) century today: 108.30 miles, 8:35 saddle time, about 11 hours on the clock.

Ride details for those familiar with the greater Seattle area:

We started at our house in Woodinville, taking surface streets to the Sammamish River Trail. We followed the trail north, joined the Burke Gilman Trail, then continued to Gas Works Park. After a short break, we backtracked along the BGT and SRT until we reached Marymoor Park. At that point, the odometer was showing about 52 miles. A loop around Lake Sammamish added another 22 miles. Another jaunt on the SRT and BGT to Log Boom Park, then back to Redmond Town Center. Just as we reached RTC the odometer rolled over to 100 miles. A final ride up Avondale to the Bear Creek area, and we were home.

Another first today: The first time a driver yelled at us while we were biking on the street. Some moron in a pickup yelled "get out of the way!". This was rather humorous, as a) we were on the shoulder, b) there was no one behind us, and c) Mr. Pickup was in the on-coming lane. We were not in his or anyone else's way. I guess some primitive instinct compelled him to yell at a person on a bike, and "get out of the way" was the best his little pea brain could come up with on short notice.

2) While I was on my club ride today, someone also yelled "Get out of the way" and they were also in a pickup, and we were all single file on the shoulder. He was in our lane, but we were on a flat section of road and you could easily tell there was no one coming, even from my low vantage point on the bike!

There are no "century types." There are cyclists who choose to ride a century, and cyclists who choose not to ride a century. You may find your mind changing on the subject of riding a century as you ride more and develop more skills. At the moment you are looking at it as something other people do. Soon you will be seeing it as something you can do.

Originally Posted by JoeMetal

2) While I was on my club ride today, someone also yelled "Get out of the way" and they were also in a pickup, and we were all single file on the shoulder. He was in our lane, but we were on a flat section of road and you could easily tell there was no one coming, even from my low vantage point on the bike!

The problem is a common one in the car-centric USA. On one of my first rides I was honked at by a woman in an SUV. She wanted to pass, and I must have taken up too much space!

My wife and I did our first (self-organized) century today: 108.30 miles, 8:35 saddle time, about 11 hours on the clock.

(snip)

Another first today: The first time a driver yelled at us while we were biking on the street. Some moron in a pickup yelled "get out of the way!". This was rather humorous, as a) we were on the shoulder, b) there was no one behind us, and c) Mr. Pickup was in the on-coming lane. We were not in his or anyone else's way. I guess some primitive instinct compelled him to yell at a person on a bike, and "get out of the way" was the best his little pea brain could come up with on short notice.

Sorry you got yelled at, but congratulations on the imperial century. What a milestone!

There are no "century types." There are cyclists who choose to ride a century, and cyclists who choose not to ride a century. You may find your mind changing on the subject of riding a century as you ride more and develop more skills. At the moment you are looking at it as something other people do. Soon you will be seeing it as something you can do.

The Historian is good, The Historian is wise.

24 hours ago, I was not a "century type" -- my personal best for a single day was 72 miles. One month ago, my best was about 50 miles. Last year it was about 30 miles.

My wife and I did our first (self-organized) century today: 108.30 miles, 8:35 saddle time, about 11 hours on the clock.

Ride details for those familiar with the greater Seattle area:

We started at our house in Woodinville...

A) Congrats on the century! I'm building my way back up to that kind of mileage.
B) Woodinville?! How did I miss that there were more Eastside Clydes on the forum? You should come ride Sunday mornings with the gang. I'll PM you with the info if you're interested.

"I feel like my world was classier before I found cyclocross."
- Mandi M.

A) Congrats on the century! I'm building my way back up to that kind of mileage.
B) Woodinville?! How did I miss that there were more Eastside Clydes on the forum? You should come ride Sunday mornings with the gang. I'll PM you with the info if you're interested.

I'm definitely interested. Kasia & I are doing the STP this coming weekend, but after that, a regular Sunday morning ride sounds like a blast!

2) While I was on my club ride today, someone also yelled "Get out of the way" and they were also in a pickup, and we were all single file on the shoulder. He was in our lane, but we were on a flat section of road and you could easily tell there was no one coming, even from my low vantage point on the bike!

Here is my first real run in with a vehicle, look for my entries, it's pretty good reading. The follow up is on the second page.

There are no "century types." There are cyclists who choose to ride a century, and cyclists who choose not to ride a century. You may find your mind changing on the subject of riding a century as you ride more and develop more skills. At the moment you are looking at it as something other people do. Soon you will be seeing it as something you can do.

Precisely. A year ago I thought it was an admirable thing other people did but that I never ever would be able to. I did one June 30. I do admit to a great feeling of accomplishment. Century rides are both mentally and physically demanding, but far from punishing unless you want it that way. They are imminently do-able for anyone who has the mindset and puts in a reasonable effort training to get there.

Precisely. A year ago I thought it was an admirable thing other people did but that I never ever would be able to. I did one June 30. I do admit to a great feeling of accomplishment. Century rides are both mentally and physically demanding, but far from punishing unless you want it that way. They are immiently do-able for anyone who has the mindset and puts in a reasonable effort training to get there.

Less than two years ago I thought weight loss was something that other people could do, but not me. The moment I realized that the power to lose weight was entirely within my hands is when I succeeded. Even without losing a pound, I became a weight loss success because I knew I could do it.

A year ago I thought I'd never ride a bike. Old guys with bad backs and knees don't take up cycling. Well, we've all seen what happened to that way of thinking.

Joe Metal, as soon as you decide that you control and make your destiny as much as you control your bike, you will become a "century type." It's all up to you.

That will be this next Saturday when Kasia and I do the 2-day Seattle-to-Portland ride. The total ride distance is about 204 miles. We plan to do a little more than 1/2 on Day 1 -- 128 miles (about 206 kilometers) from Seattle to Vader. That should leave "only" about 76 miles for Day 2.

I can also post my first Century from the Colorado MS150 this past weekend. Being 6'6" and 235 pounds can sometimes be a challenge as you all know. But honestly, I finished the first day of 104 miles and felt great, only spending 4:44 in Zone 5. Total time was 6:20:15. On all of the climbs I stayed below Zone 4 and then hammered on the way down. Interestingly enough on all of the climbs by the time I got 2/3 up the climb, I started passing people who "charged" going up the hill. There's a lot to be said for riding base miles. On the second day I put in 80 miles and haven't been sore or tired yet.

Even though we're 'clydes we have some advantages, such as carrying speed on flats and descents approaching 60mph!

I can also post my first Century from the Colorado MS150 this past weekend. Being 6'6" and 235 pounds can sometimes be a challenge as you all know. But honestly, I finished the first day of 104 miles and felt great, only spending 4:44 in Zone 5. Total time was 6:20:15. On all of the climbs I stayed below Zone 4 and then hammered on the way down. Interestingly enough on all of the climbs by the time I got 2/3 up the climb, I started passing people who "charged" going up the hill. There's a lot to be said for riding base miles. On the second day I put in 80 miles and haven't been sore or tired yet.

Even though we're 'clydes we have some advantages, such as carrying speed on flats and descents approaching 60mph!

Have fun on your next century, I know I will!

104 miles in 6:20:15? Day-um. I'm lucky if I *hit* 16 MPH, much less *average* it. Great work!

I can also post my first Century from the Colorado MS150 this past weekend. Being 6'6" and 235 pounds can sometimes be a challenge as you all know. But honestly, I finished the first day of 104 miles and felt great, only spending 4:44 in Zone 5. Total time was 6:20:15. On all of the climbs I stayed below Zone 4 and then hammered on the way down. Interestingly enough on all of the climbs by the time I got 2/3 up the climb, I started passing people who "charged" going up the hill. There's a lot to be said for riding base miles. On the second day I put in 80 miles and haven't been sore or tired yet.

Even though we're 'clydes we have some advantages, such as carrying speed on flats and descents approaching 60mph!